The Devil's Lover

By Alexa Piper

Just when Lionel’s love life has gone back to normal -- normal meaning the kinky Devil making his ownership known -- Lionel’s murder case gets stranger. Lionel’s birth father seems to have his hands in the mystery, and Lionel finds himself in the sights of Eris, goddess of discord.

Lucifer used to be a prime example of a powerful underworld deity with all the knowledge and skill to take care of a lover in the bedroom. But that was before Lucifer fell properly in love and won over his necromantic boyfriend, who also happens to be a demigod. Lionel’s innate magic, magical skill, and stubborn nature make it exceedingly difficult for Lucifer to be the alpha god he wants to be for Lionel.

Lucifer is set on finding a way to provide for the man he loves and to fulfill Lionel’s every desire. But before he can focus entirely on his necromancer, the two of them must solve the case, prevent primordial deities from being raised and destroying the world, and learn to communicate better. It’s what relationships and crime solving are all about.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Changeling Press
• Release date: Aug 5, 2022

Book preview

Chapter One

Lionel

The Devil’s body in front of mine, protecting me from a threat I didn’t quite understand, that was a new and uncomfortable feeling, and something I didn’t really care for. I tried getting a decent look at the deity that had teleported into Lucifer’s doorless office, but the Devil his own damn self kept pushing me back. It was so annoying when he was trying to be an alpha god.

Will you cut it out, Beelzebug? I grumbled, and Trony, in her pink tartan skirt and with her sword in hand, gave me an admiring look.

Nyx, the deity that had Lucifer so riled, chuckled and turned their milky, unseeing eyes on me. You are a fierce one. Tiamat has said as much.

And speak of the dragon mother, she appeared in the office as well, which was fine, apart from the fact that she wasn’t wearing any clothes. Awesome.

What is going on here? Nyx, do you have to scare the children? the dragon mother said and crossed her arms under her breasts. Not that I was paying any attention to her breasts, but it was sort of hard not to notice they existed. Why did all gods have trouble with clothing? Buttons and zippers really weren’t all that bad.

Children? Lucifer said and straightened before pulling me to his side and circling my waist with his arm in a proud look, this is my boyfriend kind of way. Apparently in his mind, the presence of the dragon mother lessened the threat level in his office.

No one in this room was scared, Metatron said and flashed her sword.

What were you saying about Eris? I asked the blind god… then realized looking at them wouldn’t be enough to cue them in on the fact I was speaking with them. I mean, Nyx. You were saying about Eris?

The sightless god turned to face me. Eager as any human, aren’t you? They smiled. Or as the Devil dispensing deals.

Tiamat clapped her hands. If you have something to say about Eris, I am interested. I don’t appreciate her harassing poor, lovesick humans around the corner, but I think we can talk while also eating, can’t we?

Metatron nodded. I second that. The necromancer has been turning his nose up at my food since his return from Scotland, and he looks worse for wear.

I haven’t! I said. And I don’t! It’s just been a busy few days, and there were corpses.

Humans are quite frail and need regular nourishment, even those who are only partially so, Nyx said, and they and the dragon mother nodded knowingly.

Lucifer glowered at the other god. I know best what my boyfriend needs, he said, but I could tell I was in for eating my breakfast out of the Devil’s hands while sitting in his lap.

* * *

Lucifer was indeed behaving like a total alpha god, and it reminded me that I should call Persephone and give her an update, but that would mean looking at my phone and seeing whatever social media was now making of the sharkomancer incident. Maybe I should still tell her about the minotaur… but what would I even tell her about that? It was confusing, the way I felt or should feel about Minos, and I was actually glad to be dealing with something else right about now.

The dragon mother, Nyx, and Lucifer and I teleported to the already set dining room table, and I tried to grab a chair, but Lucifer wouldn’t let me go. He pulled me close and tilted my chin up.

How about I take you to Sephy’s and Hades’ place? It’s almost the weekend anyway, and you trained Marc Deacon well. I am sure he can handle things here while you relax a little, Lucifer said. He was doing his best at looking charming, dashing, someone you didn’t want to say no to. His kitty-cat hair was catching the light just so.

In one word, he was a transparent, overprotective alpha god, and he was trying to lull me into damseling myself, or whatever you’d call it. You are not benching me, I said. I will raise the minotaur, even if it’s -- If it was what? A way for me to get back at him? To make sure he was very and truly dead? I shook my head. I’ll raise him. I can do my fucking job, whether you believe that or not, Beelzebug.

Lucifer’s face soured, but then he kissed my forehead. I know you can, my love, but you don’t have to.

What are you saying about raising the minotaur? Tiamat said. She had put on a bathrobe, just a thin one that hugged her every curve and still revealed a lot, but it was better than nothing. Which was the alternative.

Lucifer hugged me close. He was apparently murdered in his cell at the human prison not too long ago. Christine just called with the news.

The minotaur, Nyx said, and I wiggled out of Lucifer’s hold and even managed to sit in my own chair instead of the Devil’s lap. My goals had shifted over the past few months, and today, this was an achievement, and I knew it. He was a powerful human sorcerer, the blind god went on. They used their cane to find a chair opposite the dragon mother. Lucifer moved his chair at the head of the table to the left, toward my own, until he was sitting right next to me.

You knew him? I asked. How did you know the minotaur?

Nyx regarded me with their unseeing gaze. That sorcerer is old and powerful, my child, and those humans who manage to trap one of our own are noticed.

Metatron walked back in with Jeremy in tow, both of them carrying dishes of whatever the angel had made today. The food just didn’t really interest me right about now.

If you noticed the minotaur and knew what he had done, then why not break Ariadne out of her prison? Why leave her there? I asked.

The dragon mother gave me a curious look as she piled a few of Metatron’s strawberry tarts on her plate. These ones had a funny design on top of them, similar to the angel sigil Lucifer had once pointed out to me. Ugh. At a murder scene the minotaur had created. My mind was obviously making me see patterns were there were none.

Nyx interlaced their fingers in front of them. For two reasons. One, Ariadne strengthened the prison when she used its magic against its creator. That trapped him in it as much as it trapped her, and one had to assume that this was her intent. Two, the Lady Death has few friends among our kind and has always preferred things go as they will, let the lots fall as they may. None wished to interfere and inadvertently cross her.

I stared at my plate. Did you just say my birth mother is a jerk?

Tiamat reached out to pet my hand. She was always just very strong-willed, young one.

I nodded and let that sink in. Lucifer piled food on my plate while Jeremy served Nyx and told them where things were on the table in front of them. Metatron had gone all out, which was normal for her. I spotted the apple raisin salad and strawberries dipped in chocolate as well as that eggplant dish she did and that I’d told her was to die for. Still, the food didn’t really interest me just then.

As I stared at the food and watched everyone around the table start eating, I decided it was finally time for me to get over both the minotaur and Ariadne. For one thing, the minotaur was dead, and he would never be free again to hurt Lucifer. For another, Ariadne just simply didn’t give a fuck, and it wasn’t like I had her phone number and could ask her… why.

Even if, I was no longer sure I wanted to hear the answer. After all, she’d taken the time to pop into Lucifer’s house, much like Nyx had, but unlike Nyx, Ariadne hadn’t even cared to take the time to say hi to me. That made me angry, and I knew I was justified to be angry. After all, the dragon mother had been more caring toward me the first time she’d ever met me than Ariadne had been… ever. And I had managed without her for so long, I didn’t really think I would need her now.

I picked up a chocolate-covered strawberry and chewed that. This, right here, was fine. This was all I needed, a family who would sit down at the table and share a meal, optional clothing notwithstanding… Then again, Ariadne had been imprisoned for so very long, and there was still that very, very nagging feeling that she’d definitely never wanted to give birth. I could understand not wanting anything to do with me because of that, and because I was half-human, or because I was half the minotaur’s, I really could. But she could have introduced herself, couldn’t she? She could have shown her face. That wasn’t a huge ask, was it? After all, it wasn’t like anyone had given me any choice in being born either.

I sighed and swallowed, hardly tasting the fruit or the chocolate. Lucifer had been so right when he’d said dreaming about my parents had been easier than facing the reality of them, and the best way to deal with the reality was probably to just ignore it as best as I was able and move on with my life.

And just like that, the energy I’d had earlier in Lucifer’s office dissipated, and I felt like climbing back into bed and pulling the covers tight over my head for a week wasn’t such a bad idea. The best part was that I knew Lucifer would make me forget everything else if I asked nicely, and then I could just be. A part of me was craving that. And yet, Eris. Demonic Eris who’d tried to abduct Marc for some reason. The corpses on the beach. The people who had been turned into revenants, the ones who had no family to speak of and had died with the minotaur’s help. I couldn’t close my eyes on all that and hope someone else would fix it.

Babe, Lucifer said, his hand on my neck and pulling me from my thoughts. Have some more food.

I did, but hardly tasted as I chewed and swallowed. Metatron, the angel who cared, had even left a large mug of coffee in front of me, and I focused on that. The hot brew soothed my nerves.

Instead of breaking through someone’s wards, Lucifer said sweetly when I was feeding myself the way he wanted finally, "you might have called, Nyx. Or chosen the front door to make your entrance like guests do."

Hush, you, Tiamat said. Nyx doesn’t need to knock on your front door like a beggar.

Nyx chuckled. Had I known how protective he is of the sweet demigod, I might have.

I’m not sweet, I grumbled.

Lucifer growled and put his arm around my shoulders. I was not far away from ending in his lap after all. I could tell.

Are you not? Nyx said. You sound it. And you sounded it with each and every secret you spoke under the night sky when you were a child.

Lucifer’s wings were one thing. This was another. You spy on people? I asked.

Nyx slowly devoured a flaky pastry raisin and apple thingy Metatron had been working on perfecting since mid-December. I listen, and I watch. Which is why I am here.

Eris, I said.

Nyx nodded and dabbed at their lips with a napkin before they spoke. Yes. Eris.

A call would have sufficed, Lucifer repeated quietly, sounding for all the world like a petulant, overgrown alpha god child who didn’t want to clean his room.

Everyone ignored him, but then I felt bad and petted his leg. He kissed me on the cheek.

Eris has been looking to raise the Dead Ones, Nyx said.

That doesn’t make any sense, I said. She’s a goddess. Why would she care about the dead?

Tiamat turned her forest eyes on me. Not humans, because you are right, she cares little for them. The Primogenitors. The last she said with narrowed eyes as if she’d finally figured out a riddle.

The what now? But it couldn’t be good, not with the way Metatron had paled and Lucifer tightened his hold on me.

The Old Ones, babe. The first of our kind, and the first to use magic to shape the rough universe into what it is today, Lucifer said, and that just went right over my head.

First gods. First magic users. I had never heard anything like that at the Collegium. From the archaeological record, magic users had always existed, that’s what I knew. References to deities also always went hand in hand with humanity’s long road to the present. It had never occurred to me that the gods had more knowledge of history than humans did, not least because… Well, I’d been taught that all gods were by nature mercurial, but that just wasn’t right.

Are we talking the mythological ocean from which everything was born? I asked.

In a way, Tiamat said. She glanced past me at Lucifer. How much does the young one know of the world?

"I am